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The Great Barrington Farmers Market will open for its 30th season on Saturday, May 16, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at its Church Street location.

Great Barrington Farmers Market to Reopen With Restrictions

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GREAT BARRINGTON, Mass. — The Great Barrington Farmers Market will open for its 30th season on Saturday, May 16, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at its Church Street location in downtown Great Barrington. 

Berkshire United Way has awarded the market a grant allowing the continuation of the Market Match program. This program offers a dollar- for-dollar match on all SNAP, WIC Farmers Market Check, and Senior Farmers Market Check purchase up to $25 per customer per week. HIP benefits can be redeemed at five market vendors. 

Due to the outbreak of COVID-19, the market managers have taken into consideration recommendations and policies from local, state, and federal governments, as well as guidance from Mass Farmers Markets and The Farmers Market Coalition.

Restrictions are as follows:

• To reduce browsing orders should be placed ahead of time whenever possible. A full list of participating vendors and links to their pre-order pages can be found on the website.

• A special shopping hour for senior and high-risk Immunocompromised people will be available from 9  to 10 a.m. 

• All shoppers are asked to wear masks.

• There will be no eating or drinking at the market

• Dogs will not be permitted at the market

• There will be no public bathrooms, seating areas, or live music

• Shoppers are encouraged to use minimal cash 

• There will be only one entrance to the market and the number of customers allowed in will be limited.

• Please only send one member of your household to the market whenever possible 

• Please make safe health choices. Do not come to the market if you are sick or have been sick in the last 14 days.

Others farmers markets will be operating in different ways across Berkshire County:

• The Pittfsfield Farmers Market is operating a virtual market and taking weekly orders for delivery. Information here.

• The Wiliamstown Farmers Market has developed an eCommerce platform to connect shoppers with farmers and food vendors. WFM-E! will offer contact-free ordering and payment, a central pickup location, and delivery for those who are unable access transportation. Information here.

• The North Adams Farmers market is also taking online orders for delivery and pickup. Information here.


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Pittsfield Reviews Financial Condition Before FY27 Budget

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The average single-family home in Pittsfield has increased by more than 40 percent since 2022. 

This was reported during a joint meeting of the City Council and School Committee on March 19, when the city's financial condition was reviewed ahead of the fiscal year 2027 budget process.

Mayor Peter Marchetti said the administration is getting "granular" with line items to find cost savings in the budget.  At the time, they had spoken to a handful of departments, asking tough questions and identifying vacancies and retirements. 

Last fiscal year’s $226,246,942 spending plan was a nearly 4.8 percent increase from FY24. 

In the last five years, the average single-family home in Pittsfield has increased 42 percent, from $222,073 in 2022 to $315,335 in 2026. 

"Your tax bill is your property value times the tax rate," the mayor explained. 

"When the tax rate goes up, it's usually because property values have gone down. When the property values go up, the tax rate comes down." 

Tax bills have increased on average by $280 per year over the last five years; the average home costs $5,518 annually in 2026. In 2022, the residential tax rate was $18.56 per thousand dollars of valuation, and the tax rate is $17.50 in 2026. 

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